battery storage and purchasing question

Hello,Larry here with another question
On battery purchasing. I would love to go out and buy four deep cycle batteries all at once, My question is, If I were to purchase them a year earlier and they hung around for a year or so,unused,untill I needed them, would that count towards the life of the batteries or would I be better off purchasing them just before I needed them(just talking from a life span angle)  reason im asking I have a contact at the moment.  thanks Larry

If you buy them dry (electrolyte not added yet), it should not effect their lifespan.
However, their warranty probably would start at date of purchase.

Once the electrolyte is added, their lifespan begins.  If they are not used for a year, they will still probably need a recharge before being used.  The impact on their lifespan would probably be very minute.  Good batteries are quite durable.  Low end batteries, not so much so.

John Polk wrote:If you buy them dry (electrolyte not added yet), it should not effect their lifespan.
However, their warranty probably would start at date of purchase.

Once the electrolyte is added, their lifespan begins.  If they are not used for a year, they will still probably need a recharge before being used.  The impact on their lifespan would probably be very minute.  Good batteries are quite durable.  Low end batteries, not so much so.

John,I know this sounds kinda dumb on my part. Every battery I have ever purchased was already "wet". Is it easy to find them "dry" and where would I find them.Again,please excuse my ignorance....Larry

Almost always, at the retail level, they are wet.
If you go specifically to a Battery Store (NOT an automotive parts store), they should be able to accommodate you.  But, as I said earlier, your warranty will probably start the day you buy it.  The vendor has no way of knowing when you will add electrolyte, so he will start your warranty before you walk out the door.

(I used to deliver yachts in the Caribbean, and the new ones always were shipped to our pick up point with a dry battery.  We would have to go to a battery shop and buy a carboy of acid so we could bring it to life.)

I am really glad I found this forum. I learn something every time I visit here. Larry

Dont be afraid to buy a battery and keep it until you need it. A year or less sitting and being maintained will not damage it. Cycling deep and sitting for  any length of time uncharged or discharged is what kills them.

Your battery might see the equivalent wear of one shallow 10% discharge or less over the year in float storage. Dont over cook!

All in all, we off gridders should have a set of dry batteries to fill with electrolyte as an emergency replacement or bank account.